


Not So Bad

by untouchableface



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: An Ordinary Day, Developing Friendships, Dogs, Fluff, Gen, Hogwarts, Hogwarts Forbidden Forest, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), Marauders Friendship (Harry Potter), repost of old work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:48:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24069130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/untouchableface/pseuds/untouchableface
Summary: Lily Evans spends an ordinary day by the lake, with a certain new friend.Originally written for the Livejournal community nest_of_spiders' prompt: "There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other."
Relationships: Marauders & Lily Evans Potter
Kudos: 5





	Not So Bad

Lily sat under a tree at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, quietly enjoying the early fall atmosphere. The sunshine through the branches spattered leaves with drops of gold, and a soft breeze stirred the hair framing her face. She was halfway through the medieval romance novel she'd nicked from her Mum's collection - as long as she returned it by Thanksgiving, nobody was likely to notice - and there was no better place to read. She'd convinced herself that she wasn't _technically_ in the Forest, and any possible chidings on that topic were outweighed by the fact that this wasn't the Common Room - which meant that no Marauders would come to pester her.

A soft noise from the Forest made her look up, and she watched in fascination as a big black dog pranced out of the thick trees. If she believed in the Grim - which she didn't - Lily would have taken his presence as an ominous sign; instead, she sat back and watched to see what the dog would do. She was sure that he had somehow wandered onto Hogwarts grounds from Hogsmeade, or somewhere else nearby. His soft black fur looked as though he'd been recently groomed, and Lily was certain that he wasn't vicious or a stray. "Hullo, boy," she said softly, holding out her hand to see if he would come to her.

Tongue lolling out, the dog bounded over to her and flopped at her feet. Lily couldn't help but laugh at how silly he looked with his large paws sprawling everywhere, but she leaned over and rubbed his furry tummy. "You're so big, aren't you? But you're just a big baby." The dog whined affirmation and rolled over, trying to worm his way into Lily's lap.

She laughed again, gently pushing him off. "I suppose you think you're a lapdog too, hmm? You're really too heavy for that, boy." She was rewarded with a lick, then a cold nose in her ear. "You're so _silly_. But what should I call you, hmm? Not that I'm encouraging you to stay, of course, because you must have a home to go back to, but if you're going to keep me company..." Scratching behind his ears, she ran through a list of names in her head. "Darcy? Mm, no. It'd be too odd to call you that. Blackie? Nah, too trite. Could call you Sirius, like the Dog Star, but there's a nasty bugger in my House that's named that, and he's always bothering me... I know! I'll call you Shuck. It's a nicer name for the Grim. Not saying that you are one, mind..."

Shuck seemed satisfied with his new name and consented to just lay his head in her lap, so long as she continued her ministrations to his ears and neck. They sat together for most of the afternoon, Lily softly reading aloud to the great black dog. At times, she'd provide commentary on the characters, or confide in him just who the protagonists reminded her of.

When the bell signaling dinner rang, Shuck jumped up with a start and took off running. She watched him lope up the hill and out of sight, wondering if anyone would actually try to sneak him into the castle or if that was just the direction he'd originally came from. Lazily, Lily gathered up her book and robe, also moving toward the castle.

As she passed the Quidditch pitch, Sirius Black waved to her and sprinted over, easily catching up to her strides. "Oi, Evans!" he grinned, "Lovely evening, isn't it?"

"What do you want, Black? It's dinnertime, and I suspect hanging around with you will make me lose my appetite." Really, she _hated_ him and his other half, one troublesome James Potter.

"You don't need to pretend with me, Evans. Really. I know deep down, you're just a big softie." Sirius looked like he wanted to say something more, but stopped, as James ran up to them.

"Evans, oh apple of my eye! And Padfoot! Where have you been all day?" Sirius looked a little guilty, like a cat trying to fit a whole canary in its esophagus.

Lily, about to say something, swallowed the nasty retort as the most bizzare thought she'd ever had flitted through her mind. There was no way... "Padfoot, hmm?" she grinned at the boys. "That's new. I'd say it's a bit of a Grim nickname, though." Turning with a dramatic flounce, she left them open-mouthed, thinking to herself that she might have to rethink just how much she hated them. Maybe.

**Author's Note:**

> Re-post of an old work from 2007. I'm going through and cleaning up my archive, and re-posting that which doesn't suck entirely.


End file.
